Prospect Info: [2022 - 1st OA] Juraj Slafkovsky (LW) Part 5

[MarkovsKnee]

Time for a new Slafkovsky thread.

Tonight he played his 30th NHL game against Tampa Bay. He played 14:33, was -1 (on the ice for the pathetic 1st goal), and had 5 hits.

Overall:

• 3g, 7a for 10 pts. 7 of those points have come in road games
• he has 33 hits in 30 games
• 19 blocked shot
• averages 11:54 in ice time
• he has a positive Corsi (51.5%)
• a positive Fenwick (51.9%)
• a stable PDO (99.2%)

He's not being given extreme offensive zone starts either. 51.8 offensive zone vs 48.2 defensive.

Montreal has played 35 games. Slafkovsky has missed 5 games due to:

• training & development (sitting was supposed to happen more frequently but this seems to have been thrown out the window)
• 2 games to a minor injury
• 2 games to suspension (does this seem like years ago, or is it just me?)

Continue discussion of our #1 overall pick here.

Click to read more...

 

[KevSkillz4]

I like his season so far. I'm really happy with his two-way mindset, he is going to product really well in 2 years. He have too good skillset to don't put great numbers. PPG potential? I'm still conviced about that, he have great shot and great passing ability. He need to learn this year and it's ok if he put 25 pts this year.

Great pick by Habs, he have potential to be a great 1st overall pick.

 

[Kennerback]

i was OK with him tonight. I didn’t like his 3 games before that. But i think the positive is mostly because so many other players were terrible tonight.

 

[StCaufield]

Laval would do him wonders

 

[Kojo]

Big test for him tomorrow. If he doesn't play as well as he did tonight he may have to find a place to stay in Laval for next year.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Laval would do him wonders

It might happen. Gallagher is back soon. Someone will come out of the lineup for him. Probably Pezzetta. Pezz & Dadonov will sit.

Gallagher also put us at 23 players.

Both Monahan & Savard are expected back early in the New Year. That's 2 more players not only out of the lineup but actually off the roster.

Barron & Richard seem the most likely to be sent down. They could send down all 3 (Barron, Richard & Slafkovsky) and give Ylonen a look. Or just go ahead with 22 players.

We'll see. Montreal has a tough 2nd half schedule. They'll likely be further injuries. I don't want Slafkovsky yo-yoing. If he goes down, it needs to be for the year.

 

[Berri UQAM]

Oooh. An opportunity to post close to the start of a thread...

Slafkovsky's production is fine considering his limited opportunities and his linemates. Also, I believe that his attitude is marvelous. I have the impression that he is very coachable.

Unlike most people, I am not too concerned about the hits that he takes. I have seen other young players have a similar issue and they don't get criticised for it as much as Slafkovsky. Anyways, Slafkovsky will learn how to protect himself.

I hope that St. Louis will soon decide whether he has confidence in Slafkovsky. I would either give him a bigger role in the NHL or send him to Laval for the rest of the year. The yoyo of promotions and demotions must create for tough adjustments. Also, I feel like Slafkovsky has a shorter leash than other players. I would perhaps be a little more forgiving of his mistakes than the coach has been.

The good news for the Habs is that they are going to have perhaps the best prospect pool in the NHL in my opinion. A lot fans' attention will soon focus also on other elite prospects, and people won't be so dialed in to microanalyzing every detail of Slafkovsky's game. The pressure on him will ease a bit, in my view, and his continued maturation will help him become ever more effective.

 

[Mrb1p]

He shouldnt be in the NHL. Thats it, thats the thread.

 

[MasterD]

He shouldnt be in the NHL. Thats it, thats the thread.

I didn't agree at first, but his play has regressed, to me. I thought early on he tried top-6 quality plays and made mistakes, which is fine. Now he makes less mistakes, but only because he's barely touching the puck. He looks like Armia out there. Play him with decent players, or send him down.

 

[Goldenhands]

If they send him to Laval, I wont have to watch the boring Habs games anymore, so Im fine, but I would be mad that they didnt send him to the WJC first.

 

[jrom]

HuGo should be trying to improve the Rocket, the team could make the playoffs but they're out of it right now. They need a C, a goon and some goaltender help if Primeau's head injury persist.

 

[Goldenhands]

HuGo should be trying to improve the Rocket, the team could make the playoffs but they're out of it right now. They need a C, a goon and some goaltender help if Primeau's head injury persist.

The poor center depth is why I dont really believe they send Slaf to Laval. Im expecting them to make room for kids soon. Dadonov is gone, contract ending likely, back to Russia. Guys like Drouin, Hoffman had all the opportunities to do something and they failed, so Im expecting some movement soon.

 

[Mrb1p]

I didn't agree at first, but his play has regressed, to me. I thought early on he tried top-6 quality plays and made mistakes, which is fine. Now he makes less mistakes, but only because he's barely touching the puck. He looks like Armia out there. Play him with decent players, or send him down.

He 100% looks like Armia. And he did last year too.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

So Eric Cernak stopped and talked to Slafkovsky before the game. I like that the few Slovaks in the league seem to be reaching out to him.

Cernak & Slafkovsky are from the same home town in Slovakia.

 

[MON4NHLTOR4MLB]

Kid sucks. Good kid but he sucks for a top 5 pick. Career 3rd liner at best. He should also be playing in the WJC 100%. Stupid not to have him there playing top roles and getting confidence. Bergeron went back during the lockout and it only helped his game.

 

[Kojo]

Kid sucks. Good kid but he sucks for a top 5 pick. Career 3rd liner at best. He should also be playing in the WJC 100%. Stupid not to have him there playing top roles and getting confidence. Bergeron went back during the lockout and it only helped his game.

How do you know if he's a good kid, I think he's a bad kid. That kid is nasty, going into the dirty area and imposing his will.

 

[FormerLurker]

Kid sucks. Good kid but he sucks for a top 5 pick. Career 3rd liner at best. He should also be playing in the WJC 100%. Stupid not to have him there playing top roles and getting confidence. Bergeron went back during the lockout and it only helped his game.

There's low IQ players, and there's low IQ posters. We have a case of the latter here.

 

[Arhidia]

Oooh. An opportunity to post close to the start of a thread...

Slafkovsky's production is fine considering his limited opportunities and his linemates. Also, I believe that his attitude is marvelous. I have the impression that he is very coachable.

Unlike most people, I am not too concerned about the hits that he takes. I have seen other young players have a similar issue and they don't get criticised for it as much as Slafkovsky. Anyways, Slafkovsky will learn how to protect himself.

I hope that St. Louis will soon decide whether he has confidence in Slafkovsky. I would either give him a bigger role in the NHL or send him to Laval for the rest of the year. The yoyo of promotions and demotions must create for tough adjustments. Also, I feel like Slafkovsky has a shorter leash than other players. I would perhaps be a little more forgiving of his mistakes than the coach has been.

The good news for the Habs is that they are going to have perhaps the best prospect pool in the NHL in my opinion. A lot fans' attention will soon focus also on other elite prospects, and people won't be so dialed in to microanalyzing every detail of Slafkovsky's game. The pressure on him will ease a bit, in my view, and his continued maturation will help him become ever more effective.

Excellent writing
What do you do for a living?

 

[chaosrevolver]

Kid sucks. Good kid but he sucks for a top 5 pick. Career 3rd liner at best. He should also be playing in the WJC 100%. Stupid not to have him there playing top roles and getting confidence. Bergeron went back during the lockout and it only helped his game.

Yup what a bust. Pretty obvious with the massive sample size we have now.

 

[Habs]

Kid sucks. Good kid but he sucks for a top 5 pick. Career 3rd liner at best. He should also be playing in the WJC 100%. Stupid not to have him there playing top roles and getting confidence. Bergeron went back during the lockout and it only helped his game.

He looks pretty invisible most nights, not sure what to do with him

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I have to agree get him to the AHL, he's had a fair run in the NHL and maybe he can even come back up after a few months, but this team is garbage. We don't need him here, he isn't being deployed in an offensive role and this team is headed for the basement again after playing over their heads for 20+ games out the gate.

I'm still basically where I was in draft day with him - I think he will be a very effective player in the future with a unique skill set that will be very valuable to winning. Who knows how valuable, but I could see a 70-80 point player (which is not a top producer in the league anymore) who adds physicality and can make a difference in a series. Not the best year to have #1 pick, but you can't dwell on that , and if we get something close to a star player, it's not a bad pick.

I do still think a there is a pretty big range for how we could turn out , but I think at worst he will be a "good" NHL player who holds strong value in the league

 

[ReHabs]

I have to agree get him to the AHL, he's had a fair run in the NHL and maybe he can even come back up after a few months, but this team is garbage. We don't need him here, he isn't being deployed in an offensive role and this team is headed for the basement again after playing over their heads for 20+ games out the gate.

I'm still basically where I was in draft day with him - I think he will be a very effective player in the future with a unique skill set that will be very valuable to winning. Who knows how valuable, but I could see a 70-80 point player (which is not a top producer in the league anymore) who adds physicality and can make a difference in a series. Not the best year to have #1 pick, but you can't dwell on that , and if we get something close to a star player, it's not a bad pick.

I do still think a there is a pretty big range for how we could turn out , but I think at worst he will be a "good" NHL player who holds strong value in the league

I tend to entirely agree with you -- even the part where you say it's not a bad pick. Because honestly, it wasn't a bad pick. We just had awful luck to have the 1OA in this past draft where the presumptive 1OA Shane Wright laid a moderately large-sized egg and the actual 1OA had a terrible, awful, no good season in his league and an outstanding showing in various international tournaments.

Slaf could absolutely become a difference maker in a series -- we can all see that.

The only note I disagree with is his downside. I think the sky is the limit and the floor is the abyss, that's my overarching issue with Slafkovsky. Someone with questionable playmaking vision can always bust big-time... which is why we should've been extra cautious and patient with him instead of thrusting him into the NHL as an 18 year old to figure it out. We don't need another Joel Armia or Guillaume Latendresse, nobody does.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Kid sucks. Good kid but he sucks for a top 5 pick. Career 3rd liner at best. He should also be playing in the WJC 100%. Stupid not to have him there playing top roles and getting confidence. Bergeron went back during the lockout and it only helped his game.

Like I said , he has nothing elite in his play (Defensively skating hitting , shooting , passing).

I legit don't know what Hugues was looking for when he drafted him. Dude couldnt score in a pity league. Rushed into the NHL also. Everytime teams rush a 18 year olds in turns up to be a terrible idea and funny enough Gorton and Bobrov are sure not learning from their mistakes in NY

 

[rik schau]

He looks pretty invisible most nights, not sure what to do with him

But that applies to the complete roster.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Not a great game, but a better game from him tonight.

Engels writes about it in his article, they are still happy developing him in the NHL and they didn't think sending him to the WJC would be helpful, since he can just take the middle all game long and not worry about what he has to worry about at the NHL level. Which I agree, it would reinforce bad habits, not help him get out of it.

They haven't closed the door on Laval, and he may end up there at some point, but they do hold the worry that some of us have talked about, that the AHL has more players looking to make a dirty/line crossing hit to make a name for themself than the NHL and there's no Xhekaj down in Laval to help police.